Mode I delamination

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the test results for Mode I delamination resistance or fracture toughness, mostly from round robin tests. It also presents the developments leading to the early Mode I draft procedures for fiber-reinforced laminates using the DCB-specimen The chapter summarizes the round robin tests organized within ESIS TC4. The experimental compliance methods are based on the assumption of a certain type of functional dependence of the compliance on the delamination length. By plotting the measured specimen compliance or a quantity derived from the compliance ( sometimes including suitable corrections) versus the delamination length, the assumed functional dependence is represented in the chapter. A linear dependence between the respective quantities representing compliance and delamination length is obtained and the slope of a linear fit through the data points yields the proportionality constant. The experimental compliance methods are based on the assumption of a certain type of functional dependence of the compliance on the delamination length.